Improved response to ribavirin interferon combination compared with interferon alone in patients with type 4 chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis

Response to treatment with alpha interferon with or without concomitant rib avirin varies according to the viral genotype in patients with chronic hepa titis C. Aim. This study was undertaken in order to determine the response of genotype 4 chronic hepatitis C to interferon and ribavirin combination c ompared to interferon alone in patients without cirrhosis. Methods: Fifty-t wo patients were given interferon alone at a dose of 5 million units, 3 tim es a week and another 60 patients were administered with interferon combine d with ribavarin (1000-1200 mg/day) for 24 weeks. Sustained biochemical res ponse was defined as normal ALT, 6 months after end of therapy. Sustained v irologic response was defined as negative HCV RNA, 6 months after the end o f therapy. Results. Only 10/52 (19%) patients showed sustained biochemical response after interferon alone, while 31/60 (52%) showed sustained biochem ical response after interferon combined with ribavirin (p<0.01). Only 4/52 (8%) patients showed sustained virologic response after interferon alone, w hile 25/60 (42%) showed sustained virologic response after interferon combi ned with ribavirin (p<0.001). Conclusion: These results show that patients with chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis C virus type 4 show a poor response to interferon alone but a better response to interferon combined with riba virin.